Louvre blinds



G. sARRlA 2,995,787

LOUVRE BLINDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 15, 1961 Filed May 8, 1958 Aug. 15, 1961 G. SARRIA 2,995,787

LOUVRE BLINDS Filed May S, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR GUI LLERMO SARRIA ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,995,787 o LOUVRE BLINDS Guillermo Sarria, '1057 Calzada St., Vedado, Havana, Cuba Filed May 8, 1958, Ser. No. 733,928 3 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) This invention relates to louvre type blinds and particularly to blinds that are vertically aligned when in a closed position to be Weatherproof and light-proof.

Windows of the louvre type blinds are increasingly popular and are so constructed that they normally open and close by rotation about a fixed axis. These types of blinds are commonly -known as Miami blindsland also by other names. As a result of their construction, they overlap each adjacent blind slat slightly when in the closed position and are operated to and from thisposition in such manner making it impossible to provide adequate sealing means to prevent rain, sunlight or air from entering the spaces between the slats at the point of overlap. rIl'lese shortcomings of the prior art slat constructions and also the operating mechanism therefor, are avoided by the louvre blinds of the invention. The instant type of blinds are so constructed that the slats remain one above the other, in perfect vertical alignment to permit the addition of weather-proofing material thereto to close and seal the slats when they are closed and are actuated from movement to and from their closed position in a novel manner for cooperation with the weather-proong material.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a louvre type blind that includes a unique mechanism for moving the slats between open and closed positions in a manner such that the same does not interfere with the surrounding structure.

It is vanother object to align the louvre slats in a vertical position when closed so that a complete sealing is effected.

It is still another object to provide a louvre type blind that is contoured to permit an insulating or sealing material to be designed to follow the contour of the blind and to thereby seal any spaces to prevent admission of water along the sides.

Yet another object is to provide a device that will provide movement of theslat members from a vertical and closed position to a substantially horizontal and'open position by means of a rearward and pivoted motion. This differs from the conventional system of rotation of the slats about their axes and by this means enables the slat members to be vertically aligned.

It is yet another object to provide support means for the louvre members that are not fixed to the window -frame but are actuated by a common mechanism to move in opposed directions and to pivotally move the louvre members into a horizontal and open position. The action is reversed to close the louvre members.

These and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, as will be seen from the disclosures herein given. Tothis end the invention comprises the novel construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, partially bro-ken away, of a window frame containing one form of louvre blind in accordance with the instant invention, a sealing gasket and an outer closure frame.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the louvre blind of FIG. 1 removed from its frame, and in open position.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one of the louvred slats and its associated elements.

FIG. 4 is an end view of one form of operating mechlCe anism for the slats of the louvre blind, partially broken away; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the parts in a dilerent position of adjustment.

Referring to the gures, wherein like numerals identify like parts, a window 30 of conventional design is provided with a frame member 32 (see FIG. 1). A plurality of vertically arranged louvre slats 34 are positioned within the sides of the window 30 and are adapted to be movable into open and closed positions, as will presently appear. The louvre slats are preferably of the Miami blinds type, although other types may be utilized, and

may ber of any suitable material, such as glass, metal or wood.

The drawings illustrate in detail one form of the invention whereby the louvre members 34 are mounted to align vertically when in a closed position and whereby a sealing means 36 is secured in suitable grooves to the 'frame member 32 and is adapted to closely engage the louvre members.

Each louvre slat 34 extends acrosspthe width of the window 30 and is provided with a lower extension portion 40 and an upper flange extension 42. As is readily apparent from FIG. 2, the extension portion 40 is on the opposite side of the ange member so that the slats 34 interlock when the blind is closed. The shoulders 44 and 46 of the slats are closely adjacent in the closed position to further aid in preventing air and light from seeping through the blinds.

Generally this construction is adequate to provide a sealed blind along the horizontal length thereof. However, where desired, an elongated groove 47 is provided, as is shown in FIG. 3 and a gasket 48 is seated therein to insure a weatherproof seal. Thus, when the blind is closed, the gasket 48, seated in the shoulder 46, frictionally engages the shoulder 44. Obviously, the gasket 48 could be mounted in the shoulder 44 if desired.

It should be noted that the upper edge 50 of the louvre slat 34 and the edge 52 of the extension portion 40 are rounded adjacent the sealing means 36 so that the peaked portion 54 of the sealing means ts into the space provided Iby the rounded edges 50 and 52 when the blind is closed.

The louvre members are supported and actuated by the actuating means designated generally at 56 (FIGS. 3 to 5) and comprise the vertical rail or rod members 58 and 60 and the operating levers 62. The rail members 58 and 60 extend substantially the length of the window at each end thereof and retain the transversely extending louvre members 34. The straight rail member 58 contains a plurality of uniformly spaced and inwardly extending bolts or pins 64. The pins 64 extend into the complementary holes 66 provided with bushings 65V provided in each louvre slat in the extension portion 40. The rail member isy comb-like in construction with the tooth members 68 extending across the rail member 58. The tooth members 68 are slightly offset intermediate Y' Z pin member 64. Y

The rail members 58 and v60 are mounted-for move-A ment relative to each other by the bell-crank levers 62. Each lever 62 contains a short arm 74 which is secured to the rail member 58 by the pins 76 and a long arm 78 which is secured to the comb rail member 60 at 80.

3 The bell-crank lever 62 is pivotally mounted at 82 to the inner frame of the window 30. It thus becomes clear that the blind of the invention is freely suspended within the windowlt by means of the lever 82. `Each.-slat\ member 34 is secured to the rail members 58 and-,60 only, while each rail member is supported by the bell-crank lever 62 which itself is pivotally mounted on the windowl frame at 82.

TheV movement of the rail members is clearly illus-` trated in the drawings and the movement of louvre membersis best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A link arrangement 84 in FIG. 1, is secured at 86 to the rail member 60 andi is mounted on the window at 88. A handle 90 is provided. When the handle 90 is in the position shown in FIG.

,1, the blind is closed'. The interlockingarrangement of' To open the Miami blind, the lever 90 is moved andto pivot about the pins or bolts 64. Asthe comb rail. member 60 moves away from frame 32 and downwardly,

the rail member 58 moves away from frame 32 and upward (FIGS. 2 and 4). The transverse bolts or pins 70, riding in the slots 72,015 the louvre slats, aid inrotating the slats clockwise into the horizontal open positions of FIG. 4 by moving them-upward and away fromframe 32 as shown Stress on the bolts is prevented because of the 3 planar alignment of the rail members and the straight. Since the pinl line movement of all of the bolts or pins. 82 of each bell-crank lever 62 is iixed to theinner sides of the window, the recesses 91 are provided in the rail members so thatwhenthe blinds are closed, the pin 82 is received inthe comb-like member and, when the. blinds g Because of the above described con-'- are open, the pin isreceived in the recess 91 of the verti i cal rail member 58. As many bell-crankV levers 62 are mounted along the vertical length of the blind as are necessary for support and eciency Vin operation. Auxiliary gaskets 48 are provided where desired. To close the blinds, the lever 90 is lowered and the rail members reverse their movement and the louvres `62 rotate counterclockwise to engage each other in vertical alignment. Y

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, it is to be noted that the members 58 and 60 each are provided with a duplication of recesses 91, only certain of which receive and accommodate the iixed pivots 82 during the opening and closing operation of the louvre slats previously described.

In addition, the members S8 and 60 are also shown as:l

universal use on opposite sides of the louvre apparatus: and frame 30. Hence, by initially providing the vmem;

ber 58 with a duplication of recesses91, the same member may be utilized on either side of the framef30'fon use in the operation of the instant invention.-

From the description ofthe invention and by virtue of its manner of operation, it will be recognized that the framing, including the sealing structure, may be positioned in overlying relationship with the louvre slats while a protective insert screenrn'aybe` mounted outside the window. These features udistinguish over prior |known ar- `rangementsthat*require the placement ofthe"screens inside the windowand the positioning of theframework about the border of thewindow opening-both out of the path of movement of the slats.

Having thus described the invention, it is'obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made without` departing from. the scope of the invention and that the inventionwill not be limited to the exact exemplary forms described except as limited by the boundaries of the.

claims hereunto appended.v

I claim:

1. A louvre blind construction -comprising in combinar tion a frame, a plurality of louvre slats, each of said slats having an elongatedA slot and an adjacent hole in the end thereof; 'a pair of vertical substantially parallel rail members in said frame adjacent the ends of said slats, a plurality of` transverse projections carried by one of said rails, one adjacent the end of each slat, a pin carried by each of'said projections and-extending into the `elongated slot of the adjacent slat, a plurality of bellcrank members pivotally secured to said frame between said rails, each of said-members having a long arm anda short arm, a pivot pinextending fromw each long arm` secured to said one of said rails adjacent each projection, a-secondrpivot pin extending from each said short arm pivotally secured to the other of said rails, a-plurality of vertically aligned pins carried by said other rail, one of said pins extending into the hole in the end ofthe adjacent slat, and lever means secured to one of said rails for moving lthe same vertically; to move said slats. v

2. A louvre blind construction comprising in combination a frame, a plurality of louvre slats, each of said slats having an elongated slot and an adjacent hole in the end thereof, a..pair lofr vertical substantially parallel rail members in said frame adjacent the ends of said slats, a plurality' of transverse projections carried by -oneof said rails, one adjacent the end of each'slat, a pin carried by each of said projections and extending into the elongated slot of the adjacentslat,` a plurality of belle-rank members pivotally secured to said frame between said rails, each of said'membershaving a long arm and' a short arm, a pivot pin extending from eachV long arm secured to said one of said yrailsadjacent each projection, la second pivot pin extending `fromeach said short arm pivotally securedto the other of said rails, a plurality of vertically aligned pins carried by saidsother raiLone'of said pins extending,

into the hole in the end ofthe-adjacent slat, a link pivotally secured to-said one ofsaidrails, and an operating lever tive to said other of said rails, to move said slatsy tol open andclosedl position.'

3. The structure of claim-1 whereinthe elongated slot and the hole in the end of each Slat-'are providedvwith a bushing.

References .Cited in the' iile of this patentVV UNITED STATES PATENTS*v 514,918 Ededal Feb. 20,1894 2,631,339 Pratt' Mar. 17, 1953. 2,693,010 AndersonH Nov. 2, 1954 2,760,242 Armstrong" Aug. 28, V1956' 2,787,032 Brenner Apr.` 2, 1'957 2,822,587 .Halloicl Feb. 1l, 19,58 

